Ji Zizhao, who had already entered the Zhao family mansion, was being led by a maid towards the back garden.
After passing through a vermilion flower gate entwined with vines, the grandeur of the Zhao family mansion truly revealed itself.
Exquisite and delicate pavilions and towers, serene and beautiful waterside corridors, all exuded an imposing and elegant atmosphere.
Ji Zizhao's gaze gradually darkened.
Although the Ji family were military officials and not hereditary, when her grandfather was alive, their treatment was no less than that of Grand Tutor Zhao. Yet, compared to the ornate and splendid Zhao family mansion, the Ji family's residence appeared so impoverished and rudimentary.
Whether it was her grandfather, father, or uncles, most of their monthly salaries were poured into military expenses, and in recent years, even the number of times they could afford new clothes had been limited.
But the result...
Was such a tragic, unavenged end!
On the contrary, those who did nothing all day in the imperial court lived more carefree and happy lives.
Heh...
How ironic!
"In the early years, all the military merits in Yulin belonged to the Ji family. Now, after a century, the Ji family is in decline, and many military commanders in the court are already flexing their muscles. This time, the military merits of our Yulin will also change hands. It's quite exciting to think about, as before, no matter what kind of military merit, no one could snatch it from the Ji family."
A voice, neither too loud nor too soft, suddenly came from not far away.
Ji Zizhao, who was following the maid towards the back courtyard, stopped abruptly. She turned her gaze towards the sound and saw that many court officials had already gathered in the main courtyard nearby.
The highest-ranking officials were standing around Grand Tutor Zhao, beaming with smiles and conversing animatedly.
"People often say that standing high allows one to see far, but they overlook the principle that it is lonely at the top. The Ji family is a prime example. Relying on military merits, they became arrogant, only to end up stumbling by the river.
"It's only natural for the Ji family to be complacent with their military achievements. However, they should never have treated the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers as child's play. I heard that the battle in Luoyi this time was extremely fierce, with nearly all of the thirty thousand elite soldiers lost. It was only the Emperor's mercy that prevented the Ji family from being punished."
Grand Tutor Zhao listened to the words of the surrounding ministers and said with a hint of amusement, "The Ji family may escape for a while, but they cannot escape forever. When the Second Prince personally arrives at the imperial city with his military orders, the Ji family will be unable to prove their innocence no matter how they try. You ministers will simply wait with me to watch the good show."
In the main courtyard, the important court officials and Grand Tutor Zhao were passionately discussing the Ji family. The other officials standing not far away listened and nodded in agreement.
Sun Yunxiao, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, was among them.
The mocking words directed at the Ji family were more pleasing to his ears than opera.
The atmosphere in the main courtyard was extremely harmonious.
However, the same words were like a knife plunged into Ji Zizhao's heart.
Painful and enraged!
These people had once stood in the imperial court with her grandfather. Most of these officials had, in one way or another, been promoted by her grandfather. Yet, now that the Ji family was in decline, these individuals who had once flattered and fawned over her grandfather were now so brazenly stabbing at the Ji family!
Anger burned in her chest, her heart filled with rage like crackling boiling oil, striking her heart.
Such ingratitude, how could she endure this "getting the fish and forgetting the fishing net" behavior!
A figure, tinged with coolness, suddenly flashed before Ji Zizhao's eyes.
She saw a maid entering the main courtyard carrying a tray.
Ji Zizhao keenly caught the smell of rust from the maid and retracted the step she had already taken.
In the main courtyard, Grand Tutor Zhao was still incessantly talking about the Ji family, "The nation's foundation requires a balance between civil and military officials. Yet, the Ji family, relying on their military achievements, has never put us civil officials in their eyes. We civil officials may not be as brave as the Ji family's military commanders, but our vast knowledge and extensive reading are not something those brutes from the Ji family can compare to..."
The boastful voice abruptly stopped.
A sharp dagger suddenly appeared before Grand Tutor Zhao's eyes!
The maid, who had been standing beside Grand Tutor Zhao, tightly gripped the dagger in her hand and, without any discernible technique, brandished it towards Grand Tutor Zhao's face.
Everything happened too suddenly; it was impossible to guard against!
Looking at the officials and ministers who had just been relentless in criticizing the Ji family, their faces had already turned pale, and they were scurrying away, covering their heads.
Grand Tutor Zhao was so terrified that he instinctively ducked down as the dagger approached his face.
"Swish—!"
The cold gleam flashed, and the sharp dagger swept past the top of Grand Tutor Zhao's head, cutting off his jade crown and sending it to the ground.
Seeing his disheveled hair falling down, Grand Tutor Zhao, who thought his head had been chopped off along with it, screamed like a madman, "Guards! Quickly apprehend these lowly maids!"
The screams from the main courtyard had already attracted the attention of the mansion. Soon, dozens of guards rushed over and pinned the maid to the ground.
But even with her head pressed firmly to the ground, the maid stared fearlessly at all the officials in the main courtyard.
Grand Tutor Zhao smoothed his messy hair, feeling utterly humiliated. He walked up to the maid, raised his foot, and stomped on her face, "How dare a dog slave be so insolent as to disrespect a high official of the court!" Su Dan Novel Network
The maid bared her teeth and laughed, staring fiercely at Grand Tutor Zhao, "You dare to call yourself a high official of the court?"
Grand Tutor Zhao did not expect this maid to be so stubborn even when facing death. He applied more force with his foot, distorting the maid's face.
Blood slowly trickled down the corner of the maid's lips. As if feeling no pain, the maid continued to laugh wildly, "You are the Ji family's in-laws, yet when the Ji family was in trouble, you offered no help. Instead, you rallied everyone who just wastes their days eating and sleeping to stand here and criticize the Ji family. Did you ever consider that without the Ji family all these years, where would your peaceful era have come from!"
"You, you..." Grand Tutor Zhao's face turned ashen with anger.
The maid, however, still wore a ferocious and brilliant smile.
Grand Tutor Zhao knew he could not let this maid live any longer. "Guards! Drag this babbling dog slave away! Beat her to death with sticks immediately!"
Upon hearing this, the maid, far from being afraid, revealed a hopeful smile.
When she was first sold to the Zhao family, she was constantly bullied and beaten by wet nurse Sun. The Zhao family members were indifferent and ignored her. It was Old Master Ji, who was visiting the Zhao family, who found her beaten to the brink of death.
Without Old Master Ji, she would have likely died that winter.
It was perhaps for the best. Since Old Master Ji had already passed on, she should follow him. She could not repay his kindness by serving him while alive, but pursuing him in death would also be good.
Thinking this, the maid calmly closed her eyes.
The ministers, who had been in a panic just moments ago, had now recovered.
Facing the maid pinned to the ground by the guards, they all vowed to severely punish her, proposing dismemberment, slow slicing, and filling her brain with mercury...
All sorts of brutal punishments were uttered, as if only by inflicting them all upon a small maid would they be satisfied.
"You ministers truly have a good sense of humor." A voice, half-smiling, suddenly sounded.
Under everyone's gaze, Ji Zizhao entered the main courtyard, accompanied by Qing Zhu.